---
title: Dispute Resolution
edit_on_github: false
---

This document describes the steps that you should take to resolve naming disputes with other npm publishers. It also describes the steps you should take if you think a name [infringes your trademark](#trademarks).

This document is additive to the guidelines in the [npm Code of Conduct][conduct] and [npm Open-Source terms][open-source-terms]. Nothing in this document should be interpreted to contradict any aspect of the npm Code of Conduct or Open-Source Terms.

## tl;dr

1. Open a support ticket at [https://support.github.com/contact/npm-name-disputes](https://support.github.com/contact/npm-name-disputes).
1. Fill out the form with as much detail as possible.
1. Support will address your request. Please note submitting a report does not guarantee the transfer of a package, org, or username.

## When to use this process

This process is an excellent way to:

- Request a name that you believe is currently misleading or could be confused with a name used by your company or open source project
- Request a name related to your company or open source project that cannot be claimed via account recovery

This process does not apply if the package violates our [Terms of Use][open-source-terms], in particular our [Acceptable Use][acceptable-use] and [Acceptable Content][acceptable-content] rules, or our [Code of Conduct][conduct]. Those documents refer to this one to resolve cases of "squatting"; see below.

If you see bad behavior or content you believe is unacceptable, refer to the Code of Conduct for guidelines on [reporting violations][violations]. **You are never expected to resolve abusive behavior on your own.** **We are here to help.**

## When not to use this process

This process is not available for dispute requests due to lack of activity related to a specific name.

Please also note there are cases where a party may have claim to a specific name, but giving that name to the requesting party would pose a supply-chain risk to the npm ecosystem. In such cases, requests may be denied independent of the validity of the claim.

## Trademarks

npm processes Trademark claims under GitHub's [Trademark Policy](https://docs.github.com/site-policy/content-removal-policies/github-trademark-policy).

If you think another npm publisher is infringing your trademark, such as by using a confusingly similar package, org, or user account name, please submit a Trademark Policy Violation Report via our [form](https://support.github.com/contact/trademark-policy).

Use of npm's own trademarks is covered by our [Logo and Usage Policy][logos-and-usage].

## Changes

This is a living document and may be updated from time to time. Please refer to the [git history for this document](https://github.com/npm/documentation/blob/main/content/policies/disputes.mdx) to view the changes.

## Definitions

### Squatting

It is against npm's [Terms of Use][acceptable-content] to publish a package, register a user name or an organization name simply for the purposes of reserving it for future use.

We do not pro-actively scan the registry for squatted packages, so the fact that a name is in use does not mean we consider it valid. The standards for what we consider squatting depend on what is being squatted:

#### Packages

Package names are considered squatted if the package has no genuine function.

#### Organizations

Organization names are considered squatted if there are no packages published within a reasonable time. If an organization is a paid organization, it may have private packages that are invisible to third parties. For privacy reasons, we cannot reveal whether or not an organization has private packages, so a paid organization will never be considered squatted.

#### User names

We are extremely unlikely to transfer control of a user name, as it is totally valid to be an npm user and never publish any packages: for instance, you might be part of an organization or need read-only access to private packages.

## License

Copyright (C) npm, Inc., All rights reserved

This document may be reused under a [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).

[conduct]: /policies/conduct
[open-source-terms]: /policies/open-source-terms
[acceptable-use]: /policies/open-source-terms#acceptable-use
[acceptable-content]: /policies/open-source-terms#acceptable-content
[violations]: /policies/conduct#reporting-violations-of-this-code-of-conduct
[logos-and-usage]: /policies/logos-and-usage
